East Coast Magic Part 3

I've just finished an intensive week of birding travelling through to the east with Stephen, Peter and Lynda. Originally we had hoped to spend a few nights away but that fell through so we got to fall in love (!) with the M8 and its traffic.

The weather wasn't conducive to taking photos plus I was concentrating on bird watching/finding - you really can't do both well, at least that's what I've found.

We added to our year list, and in Stephen's case 'life list', saw some rare birds and missed a few and on one occasion -  Great Grey Shrike at Skateraw - this was literally by seconds!

On Monday, we looked at the weather forecast and concluded we needed somewhere with hides! We headed for Vane Farm/Loch Leven RSPB Reserve where our best find was a Scaup on Loch Leven. Note one of the hides was closed due to storm damage. In the afternoon we travelled down to Pettycur Harbour where according to the forecast it would be dry and thankfully, it was. We spotted a couple of Great Skuas as well as lots of common sea birds such as Guillemots and Gannets. This juvenile Gannet came incredibly close to the harbour wall ……

On Tuesday, we visited Musselburgh Lagoons and were successful in finding the Little Stint and White-winged Scoter, but not the Jack Snipe that others had seen earlier!The White-winged Scoter is from North America and very similar to 'our' Velvet Scoter so we were pleased we got good enough sightings to distinguish it from its more common cousins. Record shots follow ….

Little Stint (2nd from right) with Dunlin and Lapwing

White-winged Scoter (3rd from left) with Velvet Scoter

The next day it was on to Torness and Barns Ness. The winds were forecast to eventually turn to a south easterly direction and we hoped that might bring in a few unusual birds. We didn't find anything unusual at Torness although a Wheatear proved some birds were on the move. However, there were 100s of Linnets and Goldfinches using a field planted with sunflowers …

We also saw one of the local Peregrines ..

Having explored all the bushes and shrubs, as well as the sea wall and shore, we headed to Barns Ness where the tide was coming in and allowing us close views of common waders with this solitary Golden Plover standing out ..

Our final day was Thursday (we had Friday off to recover). We started at Musselburgh Lagoons in the hope of seeing Jack Snipe but once again we were 'unlucky' but we did see our first Barnacle Geese of the autumn.

With the winds remaining in an easterly direction we soon headed off as we were convinced we would find something unusual at Torness and/or Skateraw, and we did -  a couple of Yellow-browed Warblers - one at Torness and one at Skateraw. They were difficult to see, although we could hear them calling, as they moved through the sycamores but we eventually got good enough views to confirm their identity.

We also got our first Redwing of the year at Skateraw. Record shot only ….

Sadly, whilst looking for migrants at the waterfall we missed a Great Grey Shrike which flew in, landed on a fence post for a minute or two and then flew off towards a dung heap on the crest of the hill, just as we emerged from the wood. We saw the photos so know it wasn't a wind-up! Despite intensive searching it wasn't relocated.

So, despite missing a few species it was a great week's birding in all sorts of weather. I reached 200 species in Scotland for the year including a UK tick with the White-winged Scoter and had some fun on the way.

And finally, thanks to both Stephen and Peter for doing the driving and to Lynda for being the sensible one!

PS remember to click on each photo to get a slide show and enhanced viewing of the pictures.

Autumn Update

Since the last post I've visited Troon, Barns Ness, Ardmore Point and Hogganfield Park LNR (twice).

Sadly the winds have been 'wrong' and so the hoped for fall of migrants on the east coast has failed to materialise, so far. However, there are always good birds to see, if you look hard enough.

On the 28th we travelled down to Troon with Judith and Mike and had a distant view of a Black-throated Diver which was unexpected. There were also good numbers of Golden Plover and a ringed herring Gull caught my eye.

Record shot of Golden Plovers - Troon

Herring Gull A:B24 - Troon

I discovered from the ringer that it was ringed as a chick on 8/7/13 on Lady Isle, near Troon as part of a wider research project.  It has only wandered away from Troon/Lady Isle on one occasion during the past five years when it was recorded in Stranraer in March 2014.

It can be amazing what you find out about birds by reporting ring numbers and I know that more and more people are now participating in this as part of their day-to-day birding.

On the 30th, we travelled through to Barns Ness and White Sands Bay with Stephen bad sadly no obvious migrants, but yet more Golden Plover ….

Barns Ness

Another record shot of Golden Plover - Barns Ness

We also visited Ardmore Point with Judith and Mike on Friday, but no photos and no surprises.

Thankfully, birding locally at Hogganfield Park LNR (on the 2nd and 6th) did prove fruitful  with Black Tern (I wonder if this is the same bird I found on 20/9/18 or  a new one), Ruddy Duck and the return of the Whooper Swans being the highlights.

Black Tern resting - 2/10/18

Whooper Swan preening - 2/10/18

Ruddy Duck resting - 6/10/18

So, having travelled a good few miles, the most unusual birds were to be found almost on my doorstep! Indeed the Ruddy Duck was the 76th bird I've seen at Hogganfield Park LNR this year.

Next week could be good with the winds changing, for a couple of days at least, to south easterlies and this could result in migrants turning up on the east coast - fingers crossed.

More East Coast Magic

I've managed to upload my photos from Saturday, see previous post, and can now complete the story of a birding week that finished on a high.

On Saturday it was back to the Lothian coast where we bumped into Fiona and others from the Glasgow area. 

We started at Whitesands Quarry and a life tick for Stephen - Buff-breasted Sandpiper - as well as our first Pink-footed Geese and Whooper Swans of the autumn.

Our initial attempt at getting to Barns Ness was hampered by a 'charity abseil' at the lighthouse, so we did the obvious thing and went for coffee and cake!

We then travelled to Torness and Thorntonloch with the highlights being a Grey Partridge (a year tick for all of us), a Wheatear and numerous sea birds off-shore. This was followed by a short visit to the waterfall at Skateraw where we encountered, what we assumed to be, migrant Robins and Blackbirds, but nothing unusual.

By now we hoped that Barns Ness would be clear and whilst there were still a few people abseiling, we were able to explore the area without encountering 'stewards' with clip-boards!

We started at the 'wire dump' where the juvenile Woodchat Shrike, first seen last week, was still showing well but now in better light …

From the dump we walked along the shore to the lighthouse and beyond and we were amazed when these two Dunlin flew towards us and land to feed only a few feet away …

Further along I spotted this Wheatear sitting on a wrecked boat ….

… a reminder that birds were starting to migrate south.

Moving on to our final stop, Musselburgh Lagoons, which never fails to deliver and we added yet more birds to our day and year lists. The sun was starting to drop but I still managed a few photographs of some of the birds present such as this Pink-footed Goose, in amongst the Greylag …..

Pink-footed Goose - 22/09/18

and this Curlew Sandpiper, associating with a few Dunlin ……... 

Curlew Sandpiper - 22/09/18

We finished at the sea wall and this sunset …..

Remember to click on a photo to create a slide show and enhanced image.

East Coast (and Greater Glasgow) Magic

Over the past few years I have led outings to the east coast in autumn dubbed 'East Coast Magic' and have also produced a talk entitled 'East Coast Magic' which illustrates the excitement to be had and birds to be found by visiting the east coast, particularly in autumn. So it will be no surprise to learn that I managed to visit a few east coast sites during the week.

Similarly, I have a number of favourite sites in the Greater Glasgow area and I managed to visit them as well.

So taking it sequentially, on the 16th we visited various sites in Fife - the Wilderness (Pectoral Sandpiper, Ruff), Kilminning (nothing unusual - yet), and Guardbridge/Eden Estuary (Osprey, Peregrine, Little Egret, Ruff, Black-tailed Godwit, Greenshank, etc) …..

Eden Estuary from Guardbridge

Osprey

Greenshank

Having heard about a Woodchat Shrike showing well at Barns Ness in Lothian, we couldn't then resist making the journey to see it, after all it would be a UK tick for all three of us! Thanks to Stephen, we got there before dusk and had great views …………..

Barns Ness - wire dump

Woodchat Shrike (juvenile) in poor light

Following the storm on Wednesday, I set out on Thursday (20th) to Hogganfield Park LNR hoping to find a storm driven vagrant on the loch. Luckily, I found a juvenile Black Tern and managed a few record shots ..

Black Tern (juvenile)

Shortly afterwards, Stephen arrived and we were off to another one of my favourite sites, Balgray Reservoir, where a juvenile Grey Phalarope had been found. 

I used to watch Balgray on a regular basis and had seen 143 different species. The phalarope, if seen, would be a welcome addition to this total AND thankfully, we saw it. I managed a few record shots taken at a distance and whilst sinking into the mud!

Grey Phalarope

Grey Phalarope

In addition to the phalarope, we saw a number of other wader species including Black-tailed Godwits and a good range of other water birds with the biggest surprise being a juvenile Shelduck flying over the reservoir.

So over the past week, up to Friday 21st: 
I saw 79 different species;
Added to my year Scottish list which stands at 195;
Added to my life Scottish list which now stands at 313; 
Added to my life Balgray list which now stands at 144; and
Added to my year Hogganfield Park LNR list which now stands at 75.

So a terrific week with more to come! In fact, we also had a superb day yesterday but that will be the subject of a separate blog, mainly because I have been unable to download my photos for reasons that currently baffle me!

I would also apologise to those who would like to post comments as I have had to disable that function due to receiving unwanted posts about 'hacking'!

More East Coast and Local Birding

Since my last post I've continued to make use of my travel cards for long walks and excellent birding. I also enjoyed an excellent trip by car, thanks to Stephen!

On the 18th it was a bus from Edinburgh to Thorntonloch. Things were a lot quieter than on the 15th but there were still a few birds around if you were patient and looked hard enough!

The berry bearing bushes at Thorntonloch proved popular with a number of species including this Chiffchaff ....

and this Song Thrush .............

Off the sea wall at Torness, I was surprised to see this Red-throated Diver, still with much of its red throat!

 

From here I walked along the John Muir Link passed Skateraw towards Barns Ness. I stopped at the small burn/clump of rosebay willowherb and with other birders tried to get views of a reported Dusky Warbler.

 

 

I managed a 10 second glimpse of what was probably the bird but not enough to confirm its identity! A flyover of 18 Barnacle Geese offered some compensation .....

 

 

Realising that time was tight and as the original intention was to enjoy a long walk, I headed off towards my bus connection in Dunbar.

 

It was strange to see White Sands Bay at high tide as on nearly every other walk the white sand has glistened in the sun!

 

 

Whilst the sand might have been lacking, the usual Stonechats (3 in this instance) were not. And although the sun was low in the sky, I managed a record shot of this bird ...

 

 

Thankfully, I made the bus connection with c5 minutes to spare!

 

On Friday we both travelled up to Aberdeen and explored the Girdle Ness area .... 

 

 

 

The trip can be summed up as being a very pleasant walk but a failed twitch - Daurian Shrike!

 

Yesterday, I travelled through to the East Coast, courtesy of Stephen and we stumbled across 4 cracking Shorelarks at John Muir Country Park .....

 

 

I also found a distant Dark-bellied Brent Goose

 

 

From John Muir Country Park we headed to White Sands Quarry just in time to see some geese fly off. We were told they were Bean Geese but again as I can't be sure of their ID they became another possible sighting rather than confirmed!

 

 

There were lots of other birds in the quarry and we agreed this would be a good place to visit on a regular basis...

 

 

Having explored the east coast we stopped at Garnqueen Loch in Glenboig on the way home and were impressed by the range of wildfowl to be found in such a relatively small loch - yet another place worthy of further visits ...........

 

 

Finally, some recent sightings from the Greater Glasgow area, courtesy of the SOC Clyde Grapevine:

 

Sunday 23 October 2016
Two drake Ruddy Ducks on Garnqueen Loch.
70 Fieldfares flew north over Pollok Country Park, and two Nuthatches at the feeders.

Friday 21 October 2016
A Chiffchaff with a tit flock at Garnkirk Moss Wood, Glasgow.
A Kingfisher over the causeway at Milngavie Reservoirs at 0930 hrs.

Wednesday 19 October 2016
90 Fieldfare and 18 Redwing at Gartloch Pool.

Mammal Record
Evidence of a Pine Marten (footprint, droppings) at Garnkirk Moss Wood (NS675675), possibly the first recent record for Glasgow.

  

East Coast Magic

With high pressure over Scandinavia and a forecast of easterlies I travelled through to the east coast on Monday and Wednesday. In retrospect, Tuesday and Thursday could have proved to have been better!

On Monday, I travelled by bus from Edinburgh to Thorntonloch/Torness where I spent a few hours hoping for some 'rarities'. Similarly, on Wednesday a bus to Thortonloch/Torness before walking the John Muir Link to Skateraw, Barns Ness, Whitesands Bay and Fluke Dub before reaching Dunbar and a bus back to Edinburgh.

A few record shots and some reasonable images:

Record shot - Yellow-browed Warbler - Torness - 3/10/16

Brambling - Thorntonloch - 3/10/16

 Torness - 3/10/16

 

Barnacle Geese - Torness - 5/10/16

 

Redstart - Torness - 5/10/16

 

Barns Ness - 5/10/16

 

Juvenile Barnacle Goose + barnacle - east Dunbar - 5/10/16